Argument Against Transgenic Agriculture
...of genetically altering organisms has evolved from experimentation to commercial application. It is taking the place of selective breeding for isolating desired traits in different organisms. Transgenics has also led to a better understanding of gene function, allowing for better understanding of human diseases such as Alzheimer's, diabetes, and cancer. For some, such as the starving poor and those afflicted with genetically-caused diseases, transgenic organisms are a blessing. For others, such as poor farmers and the animals themselves, genetic engineering spells the end of the world.
The Federation of European Laboratory Animal Associations defines the term transgenic animal as an animal whose genome has been deliberately modified (Margawati). This definition also holds true for any other transgenic organisms, including plants and bacteria. In fact, the principle of transgenics is the introduction of an alien gene into an organism's DNA. Generally, the gene would not occur naturally in its host organism.
Transgenic science was born in 1970 when experiments were conducted to produce different strains of mice; cells originating from one strain were introduced to the embryos of another strain by aggregation or injection during the blastocyst stage (C. River). The resulting offspring showed characteristics from each strain used. These first transgenic animals were created without the use of recombinant DNA, but the process was a building block for the mechanisms of genetic engineering used today (C. River). This process is actually quite similar to that of cloning, when one organism is a genetically identical to its parent.
Today, three methods are used to transfer genes: DNA microinjection, retrovirus-mediated gene transfer, and embryonic stem cell-mediated gene transfer (Harper). DNA microinjection, the most common method used, involves the...
View Full Essay
